The thyroid–miscarriage connection: New research and hope for the future

Discover how thyroid health may play a role in miscarriage risk, and how new research aims to guide future care for women and families.

Miscarriage affects many families, and for some people it happens more than once. Understanding why miscarriage occurs is a vital step towards improving care, support and outcomes for those affected.

In this public‑friendly webinar, we will share our research exploring how thyroid health may influence miscarriage risk, even when standard thyroid tests appear normal.

A key focus of this work is thyroid antibodies – proteins produced by the immune system that can mistakenly target the thyroid gland. Some women have these antibodies despite having normal thyroid hormone levels. Research has shown that this group may have a higher risk of miscarriage, but the reasons why are not yet fully understood. Our research aims to uncover how thyroid antibodies might affect pregnancy and whether targeted treatments could help reduce miscarriage risk.

The webinar will also explore subtle changes in thyroid hormone levels seen in some women who experience recurrent miscarriage. These changes may not cause symptoms and can easily go unnoticed, but they may still play an important role in pregnancy outcomes. By analysing detailed data from multiple studies, our researchers are investigating whether identifying and treating these subtle thyroid changes could help prevent further miscarriage in the future.

This talk will provide an accessible overview of current research, what it may mean for future care, and how improving understanding of thyroid health could offer new hope for women and families affected by miscarriage.

Our expert

This talk will be delivered by Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith, Clinical Associate Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine at the University of Birmingham and co-lead of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre: Birmingham’s Women’s Metabolic Health research theme.